I am pleased to say that I have won the Rethink Pringle Arts award 2011
with the poem below entitled “LOVE” I chose the title because LOVE is the main mover in recovery.

“LOVE”
If I had a physical condition people would rally round
They would visit me in hospital and praise the courage I’d found
If I had a physical condition I’d get flowers and get well cards
There’d be comforting words and respect for this time in my life that’s so hard
But I’m suffering from mental distress I’m on a mental health ward
Seems like- I’m to be avoided – I’m to be ignored
If I had a physical condition my family would be given support
They wouldn’t be falling apart at the seams anxious-depressed-over aught
If I had a physical condition I wouldn’t feel like I do
But I see that look in you’re eyes – it prevents me from talking to you
That look is borne of FEAR something I deal with every day
The visions I see that you can’t see – angry voices that won’t go away
So my question is why the avoidance? What’s so strange about how I am?
It happened to me it could happen to you only then would you understand
Underneath all this confusion is the person you’ve known for years
So just look beneath this label that’s creating a river of tears
To recover I need acceptance wherever I reside
To recover I need people to understand that mental illness dents the pride
To recover I need employment the chance to prove what I can do
A chance to be part of society – exactly the same as you
To recover I need respect – respect for what I go through
To recover I need friends who genuinely care but also prove to me that they do
To recover I need some structure instead of loneliness and social exclusion
Will I manage to recover? – will it simply remain an illusion?
What I need is relapse prevention a fence around the edge of this cliff
There’s an ambulance below in the valley but I’m left thinking if only!!! what if?
What If we had more resources? What if people understood?
We’d have far less need for inpatient care
We’d start seeing the tree’s for the wood
Recovery relies on so many things but over and above
It will thrive on a need that’s in us all but it won’t happen without
“LOVE”